Tool for expelling liquid from a circular cylindrical sponge



Sept. 4, 1956 F. A. KRZANOWSKI TOOL FOR EXPELLING LIQUID FROM A CIRCULARCYLINDRICAL SPONGE Filed Jan. 15, 1954 United States Patent 1 2,761,165TOOL FOR EXPELLING LIQUID FROM A CIRCULAR CYLKNDRLTCAL SPONGE Frank A.Krzanowski, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor of onehalf to Adam J. Ciesielski,iPittshurgh, Pa. Application January 15, 1954, Serial No. 404,337 1Claim. (Cl. 15-236) This invention relates to a tool for expellingliquid from a circular cylindrical sponge of the type commonly employedfor applying paint or the like to a surface.

The primary object of this invention is to facilitate the expulsion ofpaint or the like from the paint retaining surface of a paint roller tofacilitate the cleansing thereof.

Another object is to enable the user to remove from the sponge surfaceof rollers of this character the paint commonly absorbed in the surfaceso that another color of paint may be easily and quickly employed so asto avoid loss of time in the performance of painting operations.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a subtsantially circular contractiblehead adapted to embrace a substantially circular cylindrical sponge, andhandles carried by the head and extending outwardly therefrom forcontracting said head about the sponge and moving the headlongitudinally along the sponge to expel liquid contained in the sponge.

Still other features include substantially semicircular jaw membersdefining a substantially circular contractible head adapted to embrace asubstantially circular cylindrical sponge, legs carried by the jawmembers and extending outwardly therefrom, said legs diverging as theyrecede from the head, means carried by the legs and extendingtherebetween for yieldingly holding the jaw members apart, and stopscarried by the jaw members opposite the legs for engaging one anotherand limiting separation of the jaw members.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a paint roller tool according to thepresent invention positioned about a roller shown in section;

Figure 2 is an edge view of the tool of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the head contractedabout the paint roller illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the stops which limit the outwardmovement of the jaw members defining the contractible head.

Referring to the drawings, the tool of the present invention comprises asingle length of wire material indicated by the numeral 30 and includinga spring coil 34 medially between opposite ends of the length ofmaterial with elongated handles 32 integral with the opposite ends ofthe coil 34. The coil 34 is under tension effective to normally bias thehandles away from one another. The handles 32 converge in a directionaway from the spring coil 34 and extend beyond the point of convergencethereof in crossed relation, the point of convergence being disposed inclosely spaced relation to the other ends of the handles. Each of theportions of the handles 32 which are disposed beyond the point ofconvergence extend across the path in which the other moves duringmovement of the handles with the force of the spring coil 34.

Semi-circular jaw members 28 are integral with the portions of thehandles 32 which extend beyond the point of convergence and are disposedin confronting relation for gripping a paint applicator of the rollertype therebetween and for squeezing the applicator responsive tomovement of the handles against the restraint of the spring coil 34. Theapplicator 10 embodies a cylindrical body 16' which carries acylindrical sponge 18'.

Extensions 36 are on the ends of the jaw members 213 remote from theends to which they are connected to the end portions of the handlesprojecting beyond the point of convergence, the extensions projectinglaterally in opposite directions in crossing relation with eachextension disposed as an abutment in the path of the other duringmovement of the jaw members away from each other under the force of thespring coil 34.

The jaw members 23 are disposed in angularly related crossing planes,with the portions of the handles 32 between the coil connected ends andthe point of con vergence of the handles each lying in a planeparalleling that of the jaw member 28 connected thereto.

In using the thus described invention, the jaw members 28 are normallyheld expanded, as illustrated in Figure 1, so that the implement may beslipped over the free end of the paint applicator 10' and upon grippingthe handles 32, the jaw members 28 may be moved toward one another toeffect squeezing elfort on the sponge 18 and by moving the jaw members28 thus contracted longitudinah ly along the paint roller, the liquidcontained in the sponge 18' will be expelled therefrom, so that theroller may be used in connection with a paint of a different color.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that paint or like liquid may bereadily expelled from a circular cylindrical sponge roller of the typeemployed in painting and much time and effort will be saved in expellingthe liquid from a saturated sponge.

What is claimed is:

A tool for expelling liquid from a paint applicator of the roller typecomprising: a single length of wire material including a spring coilmedially between the opposite ends of said length of material, elongatedhandles having ends integral with the opposite ends of said spring coil,said spring coil being under tension eifective to normally bias thehandles away from one another, said handles converging in a directionaway from said spring coil, and extending beyond the point ofconvergence thereof in crossed relation, said point of convergence beingdisposed in closely spaced relation to the other ends of the handles,the portions of the handles disposed beyond the point of convergencethereof each extending across the path in which the other moves duringmovement of the handles with the force of the spring coil, semi-circularjaw members integral with said portions of the handles and disposed inconfronting relation for gripping of said applicator therebetween andfor squeezing of the applicator responsive to movement of the handlesagainst the restraint of the spring coil, and extensions on the ends ofthe jaw members remote from the ends thereof connected to said portionof the handles, said extensions projecting laterally in oppositedirections in crossing relation with each disposed as an abutment in thepath of the other during movement of the jaw members away from eachother under the force of said spring coil, the jaw members beingdisposed in angularly related, crossing planes, the portions of thehandles between the first named ends thereof and the point ofconvergence of the handles each lying in a plane paralleling that of thejaw member connected thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS601,898 McDonough Apr. 5, 1898 602,592 Widness Apr. 19, 1898 745,882Miller Dec. 1, 1903 1,594,792 Mortimer Aug. 3, 1926 2,011,497 MillerAug. 13, 1935 2,023,343 Soderberg et a1. Dec. 3, 1935 2,139,537 BassinDec. 6, 1938 2,466,200 Biro Apr. 5, 1949

